This week we captured the crafts and souvenirs micro businesses of the local Nusa Dua women who depend on the booming and developing tourism industry of Nusa Dua for a living. Surrounded by luxurious shops, competing with the crafts and souvenirs big-brands and companies is a challenge. It is an everyday struggle for these women to create a small living for themselves and their families.
1. Craft and Souvenirs Shop – Mrs. Kadek Sari
As a mother of two children, Kadek Sari has a long list of what she has to do in her daily. Starting her day by taking care of the kids and helping them prepare for the school, Kadek then whips up the daily offering before starting her craft shop business in Art Market on Jalan Pratama, Nusa Dua.
Before she owned her own craft and souvenirs shop, she was a shop assistant at a similar shop in Denpasar. Equipped with the skills she learnt from her previous job along with the support of her husband, one year ago she pushed herself to open her own craft shop with the starting capital of Rp. 70.000.000. Her husband’s support does not stop there, he keeps on helping her with the bookkeeping and cashbook as she only went to junior high school and has never been exposed to such business education before.
As a Balinese woman, she has inherited a rich culture that requires her to prepare offering on a daily basis, however preparing and doing the offering is not just an obligation and responsibility as a Balinese but is a way to show gratitude towards the God’s blessing. She believes by giving and devoting herself to God, more blessings will come to her and her family.
2. Craft and Souvenirs Shop – Mrs. Made Rai
Made Rai is a 57 years old Balinese woman from Nusa Dua, Bali. Nusa Dua is a developing and luxurious tourism area in Bali. Construction and developments are clearly seen in this area, however these developments do not reflect in the improvement of the local’s living standard.
Surrounded by big hotels and resorts, it is apparent that Made Rai’s shop stands in what one would call a strategic area. Located on the beach of Tirta Harum Beach on a piece of unoccupied land, her shop stands in a dark and shady alley between big hotels and a famous water sport company. The unappealing nature of the shop do not attract many costumers hence her business is not really doing well.
Although she has been going home literally empty handed in the last 7 days, she never takes a day off from her business, she continues to passionately go to her shop at 9 in the morning and only goes home at 5 in the afternoon. Although Mrs. Made Rai has been running her souvenir business for more than 5 years, the business in fact is declining every single day. Her business is facing a fast and certain fallout.
3. Craft and Souvenirs Shop –Wayan Rumon
Struggling to finance their daily needs, the locals of Nusa Dua try to maximizes the potential of the booming tourism spot in their area to earn money for their family. Even though the tourism and businesses are growing fast in the area, the benefit does not necessarily go to the locals. Wayan Rumon, a 53 years old local woman of Nusa Dua, uneducated and lacking in professional skills, has been selling crafts, souvenirs, and a variety of beach wears in Tirta HarumBeach for the past 8 years to fulfill the family’s financial needs.
As the locals do not have certain privileges in their hometown, her stall was built on a space given by the generous big hotels around. Luckily unlike other sellers, Wayan’s shop located on the parking lot of a water sport company which is a quite strategic spot where tourists can buy some beach wears and other outdoor activity essentials directly from her shop. Sometimes she can earn up to Rp. 300.000 gross income per day, however the fortune does not come every time. There are days when Wayan has to go home empty handed with not even a single craft nor beachwear sold.
4. Craft and Souvenirs Shop –Wayan Rumon
Living on her own, Ketut Rinen has dedicated her life work to supporting herself and her family. She was working in various type jobs such as seaweed farmer, farmer and several odd jobs before she started her own souvenir shop 8 years ago.
Her shop was built from scratch started off selling only a few handmade jewelries like earrings, rings and bracelets as well as some beach wears and dresses. All of the items she had received from local suppliers without any down payment. With all of her dedication and hard-work, her shop now has become bigger than ever.
The products she sells now are have more varieties and range from beach wears and dresses, jewelries, handmade bags and clutches, water-proof case for phones, and swim wears. Supported by a strategic location, her shop is quite eye-catching to potential costumers. She can earn up to Rp. 300.000 gross income per day, however we have to keep in mind that the daily income does vary due to very unsure conditions of the weather and tourist in the area.
Written by:
Ni Made Dwi Dharmiyanti, or usually known as Dwi is a Balinese girl from Denpasar. Passionate about the environment and women empowerment, this final year Management Student decided to take her passion into action by joining R.O.L.E. Foundation as an Intern and volunteer in August 2018
Wayan Warniasih, 49, owns a small stall on JalanSiligita near Minimart Siligita Nusa Dua. Standing on an occupied land, her stall is only made out of desks and has a roof of iron sheeting. This stall faces the rush of being relocated anytime. She has been selling her goods for almost 2 years and her stall has been relocated once before. Mrs. Warniasih sells various kinds of nasi, fried snacks, fruits, cakes and beverages such as coffee and tea for nearby hotel employees, passing drivers and bikers.
Working as a housemaid for 12 years from since a young age has shaped Ketut Siki into an agile, patience and dependable person. At age 40, she was offered a job in the housekeeping department in The Conrad Hotel regardless of her lack of foreign languages skills. Her strong motivation for self-development then brought her to study English in R.O.L.E. Foundation in between her job. Being the oldest student in the class only made her even more motivated to learn instead of being ashamed of her age.
Melinda was a housewife from Malang Jawa Timur until her husband died. Losing the family’s main financial provider it is now her obligation to fulfill her children’s financial needs. Having only attended primary school (SD) she found it very hard to find a proper job to make a living for her and her 3 children. This is what drove Mrs. Melinda to leave her hometown and family in Malang to make a better living in Bali. Unfortunately, life is no easier in Bali.
Starting her jamu peddler 15 years ago, Parni always sells her jamu on the same route around the neighborhood where she lives. She still uses the very traditional ways to prepare and cook her jamu over the 15 years. Her work is obvious by her yellowish hands. She prepares the jamu by herself using simple tools and her hands to squeezes the various spices used for the ingredients such as turmeric, curcumin, ginger, betel leaf, etc.
